Run

“Um, just a water please?” I say getting out my wallet. The person behind the desk grabs a cold water, wipes it down then gives it to me,

“Thank you.” I say with a smile and handing her the money. She smiles back and I walk to my table.

“That guy is totally checking you out.” Jess said with a wink, I laugh and shake it off.

“What else do you guys want to do today?” I ask, we all look at each other shrugging.

BOOM!

“What was that?” I say looking at Jess. She shakes her head saying she didn’t know.

“I’m gonna go get another water then we can go.” I say, I get up, put my phone down then walked away. I reach the employee, Kaylee, it read. I smiled and went talk when-

BOOM! There it goes again, I turn around to see a bunch of people huddled together by the railing screaming and crying.

“Excuse me.” I say to Kaylee then walk over. I push my way into the crowd and to the railing.

“Oh my gosh.” I say, a horrified look melts onto my face to see a man in an all black suit standing below with a gun in this hand and a body on the floor, blood seeping onto the ground around the head.  The man looks up, looks right at me, smiles then heads for the stairs.

“He looked right at you!” The girl beside me said. I look back over to see him already half up the stairs. I start to back away, tears welling in my eyes. He rounds the corner of the stairs, I look over to the employee, Kaylee was her name right?, I run over to her,  

“Kaylee! You gotta get everybody out of here, where’s the nearest exit?!” She looked at me with wide eyes, realization taking over her face as she notices what’s going on.

“Down the hall to the left.” She says with a shaky voice. I grab her arm,

“You have to get out of here come on!” I yell while pulling her along with me. She yanks her arm back,

“No! I have to get my stuff!” She says, I pull her arm again,

“We don’t have time! We have to get to those doors or a lot of people are going to die!” I yell, I continue to pull her arm. She yanks her arm out of my grip and starts running back to the store.

“Kaylee!” I yell and run after her. I reach her, go to grab her arm when,

BOOM! She slumps to the floor and blood spills out from the back of her head. I scream then start to back away. My breathing starts to get heavier. Jess, where’s Jess? I think myself. I gotta make sure she’s okay. I get up, look around,

“Wait, where is he?” I say looking around. Everyone was running, screaming,

BOOM!

I jump back then look around one more time.

“Jess! Jess where are you?” I yell while running. I feel my phone buzzing in my back pocket then stop running to see who was calling.  Incoming call from Jessy:), it reads. Thank you God, I think to myself.

“Jess! Where are you?” i say frantically,

“Calm down, i’m okay, i’m safe. I made it out, I tried looking for you but I couldn’t find you!” She sounds like she’s starting to cry. I almost cry myself,

“Jess, Jess don’t worry i’m okay. I gotta go though. I gotta get out. Hopefully i’ll meet you after. By Jessy, stay safe.” I say and hang up.

Kaylee said the nearest exit was down the hall to the left, but the real question was, can I make it? I go to turn around when someone grabbed my arm.

“You’re the girl he’s after! Look he’s coming, he thought you went down the right hall, must’ve saw someone else. You need to run, like now, Go!” I gasp a little then go to take off. I felt the wind in my ears as I ran faster. I go to turn down the left hall when someone grabs me by the hair.

“Ahhh!” I scream as I fall backwards. I look up to see the man with the gun, he smiles then says,

“You’re mine.” Then drags me across the floor. He moved his hand to around my neck. I kick, scream, punch, yell, nothing worked. This can’t be it. I feel my phone buzz again, he stops.

“You have a phone?” I shake my head no, he glares then throws me against the wall.

“Get the phone and throw it to me.” I do nothing.

“Now!” He yells. I slowly shake my head no. He throws his gun now, runs over to me and kicks my leg. I fall but he catches me.

“Ahhh! What was that for?” He smiles,

“To do this.” He throws me over his arm, reaches in my pocket and takes my phone.  

“Incoming call from lizzy.” He says while laughing. All my emotions in my face melt as I realize what he just said, Lizzy, my sister. He throws my phone on the ground, stomping on it smashing it to pieces. I sink onto the wall and slowly sit down. I watch as he stands there, stomping and smashing my phone until it is pieces.

I find myself thinking about Lizzy, my mom, dad, brother. Today was supposed to be a day of shopping with friends for an hour, going out for lunch, relaxing, not thinking about all the stress of school, work, college. All that has been ruined.

“Do you know why i’m after you?” He says bringing my in from my thoughts. I look up at him, my eyes feel swollen from crying, i’m sure I have makeup running all down my face, my nose is running, my head hurts but I still manage to shake my head no. He laughs a little then starts to pull off his mask. The only thing I knew about him was his sea green eyes, deep voice. He takes hand under his chin and pulls his mask off; revealing that same pale skin, sweet but now murderous smile, red plump lips. Realization consumes my face as it all becomes clear.

“Mr. Beck?” I say while more tears stream down my face.  

Flashback

I walk into Mr. Beck’s room laughing with Jess about some joke she had made earlier while walking down the hall. He looks up from his desk smiles at me as I walk in. I nod back to him then go take my seat.

30 minutes later the bell rings and class is dismissed. I put my bag on my shoulders, meet at Jess’s desk then start to walk out.

“V, can you stay after class for a moment?” I nod, say bye to Jess then walk over to his desk. He waits till everyone has cleared out of the classroom then goes and closes his door.

“I wanted to talk to you.” He says, I smile slightly then nod a bit.

“You know, you’re very pretty.” He says, voice low, eyes dark.

“Okay?” I say, not sure where this is going. He moves a bit of hair out my face then starts to lean in. My eyes widen as I say,

“Mr. Beck! What are you doing? I’m your student!” I exclaim then start to walk away. He grabs my arm, pulling me back towards him.

“You’re not going anywhere until I say you can go!” He forces his lips on mine then moves his hand up my leg and thigh. I push back then try to run away. He runs after me until he see’s i’m heading for the principal office.

“Principal James?” I ask, he see’s it is me then tells me to come in.

“What can I help you with today?” My eyes tear up as I say,

“I need to report a sexual assault.” After 20 minutes of telling my story and crying he gets up and hugs me.

“Thank you for speaking out, go sit in the teacher’s lounge, i’ll come back to get you in a bit.” I smile and walk away. On my way out I glance out the window and see Mr. Beck heading in. I quickly run until I get to the teacher’s lounge. I sit down then pull out my phone then begin texting my mom what happened.

An hour later Principal James and a police officer come in.

“V, we would like to show you a video.” The police officer places a laptop in front of me then presses play.

“Sir I can promise you, I have no idea what she is talking about. I asked her to stay to give her a homework assignment she had missing. Nothing else happened.” I start to cry again,

“He’s lying! You have to believe me! Watch the camera’s, you’ll see!” Principal James and the police officer nod then walk out. A couple minutes later Nick from pre calc walks in.

“Hey V, you’re mom’s here. I couldn’t help but overhear what had happened. Just know i’m here.” He smiles then walks out.

“Honey, are you okay?” My mom asked as I walk in. I shake my head no then start to cry again. She hugs me then starts soothing me.

“Someday, i’ll get you. So keep an eye out.” I heard Mr. Beck say as he walks out with 2 police officers.

Present

He looks down at me then smiles.

“I told you I would get you.”

“Hey! Hey! Put the gun down or I will shoot!” I head a police officer say. He turns around, points the gun then,  

BOOM!

My foots hits the ground. Sweat drips from my forehead down to my cheeks, down to the chin, then drips off my face falling onto the ground. Both feet slamming one by one, speed building, more sweat, my heart beats faster and faster as I round the corner. Nothing else matters, the faster I go the less I care.

More sweat, heart beats faster, time ticking down, everyone screaming; I look around for a split second to see the man chasing me, I speed up, not caring if my shirt is completely soaked, not caring if my face looks like a swimming pool.

It’s now or never, live or die, he’s coming, times ticking down, more sweat, more pain, both feet going at full capacity.

BOOM!

Another one, keep going, I tell myself, don’t look back. I see the shine of the sun in the doors, a smile creeps onto my face as I reach further and further, getting closer and closer to the end. I run as fast as I can, not looking back. The sight of the doors is right in front of me.

My smiles widens as I reach for the door handle, pull it open then race out; running right into the same police officer from the school.

“Vanessa, you’re okay now. No more running.” He says while hugging me.

“I’m okay now.”